Real Madrid suffered one of those European nights that leave a mark. Not for the epic, but for the blow, the white team fell 3-0 to Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Emirates was a nightmare for Ancelotti's men. Three goals from Arteta's team, two from set pieces, put the white giant against the ropes. Although Madrid's history is full of impossible comebacks, this time the scenario looks bleak.
An Unrecognizable Madrid
During the first half, the merengue team showed some order. They could even have taken the lead, but after the first English goal, the team collapsed. It was a mental and physical drop.
In the last 30 minutes, Real Madrid seemed disjointed. Soulless, without reaction, and that, being the most awarded club in Europe, hurts.
Ancelotti Doesn't Hide the Blow
After the match, Carlo Ancelotti faced the media. His words didn't convey the usual optimism that characterizes the Italian coach.
"The chances are very few," he said bluntly. Eleven words that sound like a sentence, resignation, a hard truth for Madrid fans to swallow.
The coach acknowledged that the team fell after the two free-kick goals. That there was no response. Although he assures they will try, he knows the path is uphill.
End of an Era or New Miracle?
Ancelotti spoke honestly, didn't make excuses. He admitted the opponent's superiority and his team's poor performance, but he also left a door slightly open.
"If you see today's match, it seems there are no chances, but soccer changes very quickly," he recalled. He's not wrong. If there's a team that can change everything in 90 minutes, it's Real Madrid.
History backs them. PSG, Chelsea, City... All fell when no one expected it, but this time, the opponent also plays, and Arteta's Arsenal is in top form.
The Return, All or Nothing
The return will be at Santiago Bernabéu and there anything can happen, but the 3-0 is a very difficult weight to lift. Even more so if the team doesn't recover its identity.
Ancelotti, for now, remains affected and questioned. His words show him more human than ever and although he hasn't thrown in the towel, he knows he's facing one of the most difficult tests of his career.
There is one week left to prepare the comeback or to start accepting the goodbye. As the coach said: "It's very difficult, but we're going to try, as always." Eleven words that say it all.